Ronald Cuthbert Hay

Ronald Cuthbert Hay, (4 October 1916 – 22 November 2001) was a British naval aviator and the only Royal Marine fighter ace. He joined the Royal Marines in 1935 and then served as an aviator with the Fleet Air Arm. In 1940 he joined 801 Naval Air Squadron flying the two seater Blackburn Skua on for the Norwegian campaign, claiming his first victory on his first operational flight. He took part in operations covering the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the Dunkirk beaches. Flying the Fairey Fulmar, he joined 808 Naval Air Squadron during the Battle of Britain.

In 1944 Hay became wing leader of the 47th Naval Fighter Wing, flying the Vought F4U Corsair aboard in the Far East. He led the wing during many of the major British air attacks on the Japanese in Sumatra. By the end of the war he had claimed four aircraft destroyed solo and nine shared destroyed. After the war he transferred to the Royal Navy, reaching the rank of commander before retiring in 1966.

Early life Ronald Cuthbert Hay was born on 4 October 1916, in Perth, Scotland, one of five children (three girls and two boys) of Captain Cuthbert Joseph Hay and Letitia Griffith Fausset. He was educated at Ampleforth College in Yorkshire.

Second World War Too old for a cadetship in the Royal Navy, Hay volunteered for the Royal Marines in 1935, and served a year at sea in the cruiser . In 1938 he volunteered for flying duties with the Fleet Air Arm and was posted to the recently reformed 801 Naval Air Squadron, assigned to the fleet carrier and equipped with the two seater Blackburn Skua and Blackburn Roc fighter aircraft.

On 31 May 801 Squadron joined 806 Naval Air Squadron at Detling to cover the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches at Dunkirk. They mainly used the Skua in its dive bomber role, which was no match for the German Messerschmitt Bf 109s. After one mission Hay's plane was only one of four that returned to base, the rest having been shot down. The squadron remained in Kent until 27 June. Hay was next transferred to the Fairey Fulmar equipped 808 Naval Air Squadron based at Wick, West Sussex. The squadron was one of only two Fleet Air Arm fighter squadrons that fought in the Battle of Britain under RAF Fighter Command control.

In October 1940, 808 Squadron and Hay rejoined the Ark Royal en route to the Mediterranean. Hay remained on active service through early 1941, claiming several Italian floatplanes. In May 1941 they escorted the Tiger convoy from Gibraltar to Egypt. As they approached Sardinia on 8 May they twice came under attack from the Italian Air Force. During the second attack Hay who was leading his section of aircraft shot down a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 his sixth confirmed victory. After Ark Royal was torpedoed and sunk in November 1941, Hay was posted ashore as a flying instructor with 759 and 761 training Squadrons. He was also awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his exploits while in the Mediterranean.

Promoted to acting captain in May 1942, he was given command of 809 Naval Air Squadron, which was assigned to the fleet carrier . |group=nb Their first operation was against the Nicobar Islands in October 1944.

He was promoted acting lieutenant colonel in December 1944. That month the four fleet carriers, Victorious, Illustrious, Indomitable and Indefatigable, were designated the 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron, under Admiral Philip Vian.

On 4 January 1945, Hay led Operation Meridian – a major air raid on oil refineries and airfields around Palembang in Sumatra – for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. This was to be one of the Fleet Air Arm's largest ever operations, involving 56 Corsairs and 45 Grumman Avengers from Victorious and . During Meridian, Hay's fighters shot down eight Japanese aircraft for the loss of one Corsair. These included two aircraft shot down by Hay himself; a Nakajima Ki-43 and a Nakajima Ki-44.

Later life After the war, Hay continued flying but was injured in an accident while landing a Supermarine Seafire. He reverted to his war substantive rank of captain and was posted back to the Royal Marines. He then served with 40 Commando in Malta, Cyprus, Hong Kong and Malaya.